Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-19
a FIEND TNCARNATE.
That's What the Mugwunps Called Mr.
Eugene Higgins.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13-EugeDe Hig-
gins, who Is making his arrangements to
give up his clerkship in the Treasury De-
partment and establish himself in private
business, is more deeply indebted to his
enemies than any man of the present day.
He came here poor and obscure, unknown
outside of his own town of Baltimore, and
glad to accept the place that Ills friend
Senator German had secured for him.
It was OF no consequence whatever
politically, and the pay was not beyond
| the necessaries CT 8 man of mis- plsin
mode of life. He possessed fair capacity
as & clerk, and he went to work to maze
himself useful. Upon o sudden, how
ever, q great storm Of indignation arose
, in mugwump quarters, and Higgins Was
held up as political f1end incarnate {;
| newspapers called for his immediate dis
missal and the illustrated weeklies found
place for him in their cartoons.
His career in Maryland was declared to
be without s. parsllel In rsscslity, and
his capacity for scheming and wire pull
ing represented as something phenomenal.
Higgins bore the assaults uncOmplain-
ingly, for being shrewd man he saw they
were 50 savage and unrestrained there
would in time necessarily be reaction
In his favor. The reaction came, and
the result was that in many quarters Hig-
gins became hero. He was treated like
party leader and not only letters of
sympathy poured in upon him but invita-
lions to important politicsl meetings
throughout the country. There was 8
feeling at distance that he was suffering
for the party's sake and ought to be de-
Tended and supported.
In this way the name of the appoint
ment CLERK of the Treasury Department
became q more prominent one in the
newspapers than that Of the Secretary
himself. Higgins, therefore, having be-
come man Of note has wisely enough.
no doubt. concluded to put his increased
reputation to individual account and turn
his attention to Strengthening his fnan-
cial props. He will be able to earn more
out of Office than in Office, but Gil the
more Of course for having held Office and
endured the raking fire of frantic sort
Of opposition.
The public he's but cloudy idea of the
man. His enemies have represented him
as the lowest and bssest of wretches, for
bidding even In aspect, while his friends
have replied by claiming for him nearly
every virtue and manners of fascinating
type. The truth as usual lies between.
Higgins is probably fifty years of age,
of medium height, and stoops. His hair
is entirely white, and stiff gray NOUS
tache adorns his upper lip. His color is
high, and his eyes of puzzling hue are
keen and bright.
He is not an educated man, but talks
fiuently and well, and calls upon an ex-
tended experience as man Of the world
for those figures OF speech which one
picks up on the race course and around
other places of sporting resort. He is, in
fact, something of E sport himself, and g
CHEEKY and breezy one. He will make a
success of Ills new venture, because he
possesses push and capacity. In time,
however, he will be back in politics, as
full OF resources as ever, and q mighty
handy man to have around where hustling
and organizing are necessary to be done.